Expandable ring binder



March 19, 1968 R. J. MacCORMACK 3,3 ,7

EXPANDABLE RING BINDER Filed Aug. 1, 1966 s 26 a 2 44 e I4 "Fig. 3 I6 34 32 20 30 12 go Ronald J. MacCormack INVENTOR.

ilnited btates 3,373,748 EXPANDABLE RING BINDER Ronald J. MacCormack, Rancho Cordova, (Iahf. (R0. Box 74, Medway, Ohio 45341) Filed Aug. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 569,318 2 Claims. (Cl. 129-1) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A looseleaf binder utilizing an adjustable binder ring sheet between a pair of covers. One end of the sheet is slidably received within and selectively extensible from a pocket defined in one of the covers with the second end of the sheet, subsequent to the defining of a loop with the sheet, being secured to the inner face of the cover having the pocket therein. The second cover includes a bracket which is engaged over the loop portion of the sheet so as to allow for a movement of the second cover toward and away from the first cover.

This invention generally appertains to improvements in binders which bind separate leaves together to form a book and more particularly relates to novel improvements in looseleaf binders of the type wherein loose leaves are held between a pair of covers by leaf retention rings.

The principal ditficulty with looseleaf binders of the known type is that they are limited by the number of leaves or sheets that can be properly held between a pair of covers or backing members by a ring retention means. Even with known constructions, which have flexible binding strips for the backing members or covers or which have some sort of structural connection between the covers, whereby a greater number of sheets can be accommodated between the covers, the binders still do not permit an expansion between the covers, whereby an almost unlimited number of sheets or leaves can be supported between the covers, with the covers and the sheets, in the closed condition of the binder, maintaining the desired flat parallel relationship, which is so important for stacking the binders and for opening and closing the book without destruction of the leaves or sheets.

Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is to provide an expansible ring binder which can accommodate an almost unlimited number of pages or leaves, dependent upon the size of the covers, with the covers and enclosed leaves, irrespective of the number thereof, being in parallel flat relationship, when the hinder or book is' closed.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a radially expansible .and'contractible binder ring means for holding leaves or sheets between a pair of covers or backing members, the binder ring means being radially expansible and contractib'le so as to effect an increase or decrease in its diameter dependent upon the number of leaves or sheets attached thereto and held between the covers whereby the thickness of the binder can be increased with the covers and enclosed leaves being in fiat parallel relation when the binder is closed irrespective of the number of leaves or sheets carried by the binder ring means and disposed between the covers.

In line with the foregoing object, another object of the present invention is to provide a backing means, which in association with the radially expansible and contractible binder n'ng means, hingedly connects the covers together and acts in consort with the expansion and contraction action of the binder ring means so as to maintain the covers in proper orientation with respect to each other and with respect to the leaves or sheets interposed therebetween and attached to the binder ring means.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensively constructed looseleaf binder of the foregoing type, this being important because the cost factor of looseleaf binders must be such that the binder can be produced and purchased at a price within the range of the most likely users, such as students, technologists, librarians and the like.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a compact, sturdy and simply constructed looseleaf binder which possesses the advantage of being automatically expandable and contractible, dependent upon the number of leaves or sheets contained therein.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of the looseleaf binder, constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, and showing the same in an open position;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view, partly in section, showing the binder with only a few sheets or leaves therein;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view, similar to FIG- URE 2, and showing the binder containing a greater number of sheets or leaves;

FIGURE 4 is a detailed fragmentary sectional view showing the construction and mounting of the binder ring means; and

FIGURE 5 is a detailed cross-sectional view, taken substantially on line 55 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the looseleaf binder 10 comprises a top cover or backing member 12 and a bottom cover or backing member 14. The top cover 12 has an inner side edge 16 .and the bottom cover 14 has an inner side edge 18, the side edges adapted to be disposed in adjoining relation, when the binder is in an open position, as shown in FIGURE 1. A flexible binding portion or backing member 20 connects the top and bottom covers 12 and 14 together in such a way as to accommodate the radial expansion and contraction of a binder n'ng means 22.

The binding or backing portion 20 is formed as an integral continuation of the outer facing or section 24 of the bottom cover 14 which has an inner facing or section 25. The facings 24 .and 25 are spaced apart to define a pocket 26 therebetween, the pocket 26 having an open mouth 28 at the side edge 18 of the bottom cover 14.

The binding or backing portion 20 is slidablydisposed within a pocket 30 formed in the top cover 12, the pocket being defined by spaced apart inner and outer sections or facings 32 and 34 of the top cover and the pocket having an open mouth 36 at the inner edge 16 of the top cover 12, with the backing portion 20 sliding into the pocket 30' through the open mouth 36.

Thus, it can be seen that the binding or backing portion 20 is fixed, so to speak, to the bottom cover 14 but is movable with respect to the top cover 12 in that it is freely slidable within the pocket 30. The purpose of this construction is to accommodate the radial expansion and contraction of the ring binder means 22, as aforestated and as will be described.

The ring binder means 22 comprises a resilient plate or sheet 38, which is formed with a series of parallel slots 40 extending from one side edge 42 to the opposing side edge 44 and defining therebetween a plurality of anchoring bars 46. The construction of the slots 40 and anchoring bars 46 permits the attachment of leaves or loose sheets 48, which are formed with marginal notches 50, as shown in FIGURE 4, to the ring binder means with the sheets attached to and carried by the bars 46.

The end edge 42 of the resilient plate or sheet 38 is securely fastened to the inner section or facing 25 of the bottom cover, at the inner side edge 18 of the bottom cover, by fastening screws 52, which are threaded intO threaded openings 54 in the side edge portion of the inner section or facing 24, as shown in FIGURE 5.

The plate or sheet 38 is looped or coiled upon itself to define a ring or loop 56, which is freely disposed between the inner side edges 16 and 18 of the top and bottomcovers and the connecting section of the backing portion 20, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. The closed side edge portion 44 of the strip or plate 38 is slidably disposed within the pocket 26, as shown in FIGURE 3. And, as shown in FIGURE 5, the fastening screws 22 bear on the portion of the resilient plate or sheet within the pocket and lock or fasten the same, so that the radial expansion can be controlled by the fasteners which act as set screws, in this respect.

The resilient plate or sheet 38 is attached to the top cover 12 solely by a bracket means 58, which is provided on the inner face of the inner section 32 of the top cover, adjacent the side edge 16. The bracket means 58 comprises an elongated rod 60, which is of a length to receive the entire width of the sheet or plate 38 and which has lateral ends 62 that are suitably anchored in the inner section 32 of the top cover so as to position the rod in spaced parallel relation with the inner face of the inner section 32. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, the resilient plate or sheet 38 slidably passes under the rod 60 and, by virtue of the rod 60, the ring binder means 22 is attached to the top cover 12. The ring binder means is fixed at its end edge 42 to the inside or inner section or facing 25 of the bottom cover and the loop or ring portion 56 extends therefrom and under the rod 60 and then is slidably disposed in the pocket 26.

It can be appreciated that, if it is desired to add more leaves or sheets L, as so to increase the thickness of the binder from that shown in FIGURE 2 to that shown in FIGURE 3, it is only necessary to loosen the fasteners 52, in their function as set screws, and the loop 56, because of its looped or coiled construction and the inherent resiliency of the material of the plate 38, will radially expand. Such expansion is permitted because the end portion 44 within the pocket 26 will slide outwardly and the binding or backing portion 20 will slide from the pocket 30 in the top cover. Therefore, the expansion is only limited by the planer width dimensions of the covers, that is, by the distances between the inner and outer side edges of the covers.

When the binder ring means 22 has expanded to the desired radial extent for the accommodation of an increased number of leaves L, as in the instance of FIG- URE 3, then it is only necessary to retighten the fasteners 52 and the binder will function in a normal manner, permitting the leaves L to be turned, with the covers 12 and 14 in an open position.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous mod- 4- ifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A looseleaf binder comprising a pair of covers, a flexible backing portion hingedly'connecting said covers together, a binder ring means carried by the covers and being radially expansible and contractable so as to effect an increase or decrease in its diameter dependent upon the number of leaves attached thereto and held between the covers, said backing portion hingedly connecting the covers together in a manner to accommodate the radial expansion and contraction of the binder ring means whereby the thickness of the binder can be increased with the covers and enclosed leaves being maintained in fiat parallel relation when the binder is closed irrespective of the number of leaves carried by the binder ring means and disposed between the covers, said binder ring means defining a plurality of spaced parallel bars having opposed aligned ends and a transverse edge portion connecting said bars at one end thereof, the second end of said bars being fixed to one cover with the bars being looped upon themselves intermediate the covers and inside the backing portion between the covers, retaining means carried by the other cover within which the looped portions freely pass whereby the other cover is connected thereto, said one cover being formed with a pocket within which the first end of said bars and the associated edge portion is slidably disposed so as to permit expansion and retraction of the looped portions, and fastening means provided for securing the spaced bars in fixed positions within the pocket so as to control the expansion and retraction of the looped portions.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the second ends of the bars are interconnected by a second transverse edge portion, said fastening means also fastening said second edge portion to said one cover.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 514,987 2/1894 Campbell 1291 836,956 11/1906 Ziegler l2941 1,011,795 12/1911 Housh 129-41 2,007,763 7/1935 Klein 129-41 2,232,058 2/1941 'Farkas et al 128l8 X 3,249,653 4/1966 Sexton 1291 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,127,329 4/1962 Germany.

205,163 10/1923 Great Britain.

328,214 4/ 1930' Great Britain.

3,662 5/ 1919 Netherlands.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner. 

